Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing

An Asian take on green beans, this Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing is full of Asian flavors and great texture from the Soy-Glazed Cashews.

There are recipes that you see and think “I want to make that” and add them to your endless stack of “to try” recipes, and there are recipes that you see and think “I have to make that” and stop at the store that day for the ingredients. This is one of the latter. I originally saw this on Lis’ blog. She got the recipe from Alanna, and I have a feeling you are going to be seeing this recipe on many other blogs! I did what Lis did and substituted cashews for the almonds, but I think it would be fabulous either way. I seriously could have eaten just this salad for dinner – forget the entree!! I LOVED the nuts – I have sugared nuts before, but never soy sauced them before. (I don’t think that is really a word!!) But these cashews (or almonds, if you use almonds) would be good in so many things – especially any type of Asian salad. This is staying in my regular rotation – in fact, I may make it again this week because I still have green beans left!!

An Asian take on green beans, this Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing is full of Asian flavors and great texture from the Soy-Glazed Cashews.

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

salt

2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

½ cup cashews

1 tablespoon soy sauce

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

⅔ cup fresh cilantro

¼ cup chopped green onions

Instructions

Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heavily salt the water and then add the beans. Return to a boil, then allow the beans to boil until cooked, but still bright green, 3-5 minutes. Drain the beans, then immediately place in the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well. (If assembling right away, drain on paper towels to make sure the beans have drained completely.)

In a small skillet, toast the cashews. Increase the heat to medium-high and then add the soy sauce. Cook until the liquid has evaporated and the nuts have been coated with the sauce, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and sugar. Add the green beans to the dressing and stir to coat. Serve in a shallow dish and top with the cilantro, green onions and prepared cashews.